The love of a Rogue
by Tireless Ship of The Line
Summary: Looks at the painful beginning of George and Alanna's love.


_Disclaimer: I do not own the characters as much as I wish I did, they are the creative property of Tamora Pierce! Reviews are appreciated :) Inspired by Hot Chelle Rae_

**I can't wake up, I'm living a nightmare that keeps repeating again**

George woke, breathing fast, silent tears streaming down his face. His heart raced; he trembled all over. The dream had showed Jonathon's coronation, with his wife-to-be at his side. Alanna had looked regal in the mourning colours, her fiery red hair contrasting sharply with her black satin tunic. She was still the King's Champion and as such had refused to wear a dress. George's heart was painful as he'd watched the girl he loved stand by another man. It was only a dream, he told himself. Alanna was still only a squire. She was not betrothed to anyone. He grimly swung himself out of bed, pushing all thoughts aside.

**Locked in my room, so hung up on you, you're cool with just being friends**

Rispah glanced around the common room of the Dancing Dove. George was nowhere to be seen, probably locked away in his room. The young lad Alan's visits had become increasingly rarer and as such George's moods had become increasingly more volatile. Something was up but it was not Rispah's place to ask.

Upstairs George sat nursing his wounded pride. It was only a few days ago that he hinted to Alanna that he would marry her. The idea had sounded so disgusting to her that it hurt. She wanted to be friends, and friends only. He sighed taking another swig and the bottle of ale and absently staring into the fireplace.

**Left on the sidelines, biding my own time and I just can't see why don't you love me?**

George shrugged further back into his hooded cloak as the training master rode past him on his horse. It was Market Day today and the knights were riding through the city with their squires. He saw Alanna - or Alan as she was in disguise today - atop her horse smiling as she laughed at something her knight master had said. George frowned as he looked at Jonathon. He didn't like the way he looked at Alanna. He felt a pang of jealousy as he realised. They were in love. Alanna loved him. It was obvious to anyone who knew them well enough. But what did he have that George didn't?

**Tell me I'm your everything...**

George slipped away into the crowd, remaining invisible, to drink away his sorrows at the Dancing Dove. He had made his intentions clear to Alanna. It was now in her hands. He had told her that he would wait however long it took until she was ready. Until she returned his love.

**I'm just scared to tell you the truth cause my heart is so broken and bruised**

Alanna through her belongings around her tent. Jonathon and Myles were long gone and she couldn't believe how Jonathon had acted. The presumptuous man, she fumed tossing her saddle to the side. She broke down into tears, her heart broken, and silently cursed the prince. She loved him yes, but she could not marry him. She loved another as well and as such knew that she would not do Jonathon justice if she married him while her heart, or part of it, belonged to another man. George, she thought painfully. George would never have treated her that way. He loved her for who she was, not what she was. She wondered what the thief was up to as she gave way to exhaustion and fell asleep in the middle of her tent.

**I'm longing for you but I don't know what I'm waiting for**

Alanna moped around the Bloody Hawk for the following few weeks. She was sitting on the hilltop where Ishak had died, clutching a now grubby piece of paper in her hand, staring out across the desert. It pained Coram to see her this way, he knew how broken hearted she was. Now that Jon was also Voice of the Tribes she well and truly refused to participate. He sat beside her wondering what she was thinking. "Lass?"

"We're going to Port Cayn." She answered his unspoken question. "Soon as we're packed. Tomorrow. I want to see George." She stood up and slowly walked away from him, back to the tribe. She was determined and there was nothing he could do about it.

**Give me a reason, please tell me the truth. You know that I wont give up hope.**

George heard the thunder of hoofbeats, curious he left his study and entered the courtyard as two dusty riders were dismounting. He recognised her straight away despite the desert wear and tanned skin, the fiery hair was unmistakeable. "Here now, what's wrong?" He asked as he felt Alanna's wet cheeks. Her eyes were red but there was a smile in her face and a new look in her eyes that he hadn't seen before. It gave him hope.

"Please George I'd rather not talk about it." He smiled at her softly and instead led her inside, his chest filled with hope and love and happiness as his mind ran through all the possibilities.

**Why don't you love me? kiss me? Touch me? It's killing me as I lay here...**

George woke once again, covered in sweat and breathing heavily. He was in the Dancing Dove and had had another dream. This one was a pleasant one, Alanna had visited him in Port Caynn, declaring her love for him. He fell back onto his pillows. He knew that it was just a dream, he lay in the lower city whilst she lay in a palace bedchamber, possibly that of the prince's. George could offer nothing in comparison to what Jon could. With that sour and painful thought, he closed his eyes and released himself to another painful night of sleep.

**I could be everything ****you need so why don't you love me?**


End file.
